Afghanistan peace force monitors Geneva Accords, broad-based national government suggested.

PositionIncludes related article

United Nations military observers in September continued to monitor implementation of the fivemonth-old Afghanistan peace agreement, as withdrawal of foreign troops from the region proceeded in compliance with the settlement.

Diego Cordovez, Representative of UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar on the matter, on 15 September reported that withdrawal of Soviet troops was on schedule.

The four-part Agreement, signed on 14 April in Geneva and which entered into force on 15 May, called for the withdrawal of half of the reported 100,000 Soviet troops by 15 August. Complete withdrawal is expected by 15 February 1989.

The United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP) has the mandate of monitoring troop withdrawal and other provisions of the Geneva Accords and investigating complaints of alleged violations. Fifty military observers-based in Kabul and Islamabad-form "inspection teams" and travel to sites as necessary to conduct the investigations.

From 15 May to 7 August, it was reported, 10 of 18 main garrisons controlled by Soviet troops were turned over to Afghanistan armed forces. Eight garrisons located in 5 of 32 provinces in Afghanistan remained under the control of foreign troops. In the Balx province there would be some foreign troops around Hayratan which would continue to be used as a border crossing point for the withdrawing forces.

Meanwhile, violations of the Accords-in particular of provisions relating to non-interference and non-intervention-were alleged by both sides. Mr. Cordovez stressed, however, that such violations had been anticipated in the Accords, which contained mechanisms to deal with them.

Mr Cordovez visited Teheran, Islamabad and Kabul from 29 June to 10 July to review the implementation of the Agreements, and reported he had received categorical assurances from Pakistan and Afghanistan of their determination to abide by the Agreements.

To choose a

government

Mr. Cordovez, who became Ecuador's Foreign Minister in August, while retaining his responsibilities as the SecretaryGeneral's Representative on this question, said the four signatories to the agreement-Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union and the United...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT